Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Fourth Prince discusses the inefficiency of the feudal system with Player One, highlighting its internal contradictions and instability.
• The Federation headquarters learns of the incident and reacts with anger and helplessness, realizing the severity of corruption within their ranks.
• The Federation attempts to arrest the perpetrators but fails due to their connection with a major corporation and the protection offered by the Game's Safe Zone.
• The Federation issues a public statement, but it's largely ineffective in restoring their reputation or punishing the culprits.

Character Developments

• The Fourth Prince shows political awareness and understanding of the system's flaws.
• Player One demonstrates insight into the differences between feudal and corporate systems.
• Shi Tiansheng, the Federation President, displays anger and frustration at the corruption within his organization but struggles to address it effectively.

Significant Themes

• The inefficiency and instability of the feudal system.
• The corruption and powerlessness of the Federation in the face of internal wrongdoing.
• The protection offered by Game Safe Zones and the limitations of the Federation's authority within them.

Character Interactions

• The Fourth Prince and Player One discuss the political system, with Player One providing insightful commentary.
• The Federation's high-ranking officials react to the incident, with Shi Tiansheng expressing anger and helplessness.
• The Federation's security personnel attempt to arrest the perpetrators but fail due to their connection with a major corporation.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chengshi Group, a major corporation, openly supports two powerful players, defying the Federation's authority.
• The Federation feels helpless due to its lack of military strength and core funding sources.
• A group of Company Executives plans to lure Gao Linzhi (Can Xue Waves Across the Map) into a trap using a valuable treasure, the Jade Treasure, which extends life.
• They integrate a high-tech tracking chip into the treasure, aiming to control Gao Linzhi once he touches it.
• Gao Linzhi's pet, Corpse Vine, discovers a message about the treasure on the Archipelago Forum and alerts Gao Linzhi.

Character Developments

• Shi Tiansheng, the Federation's representative, feels helpless and acknowledges the Federation's weakness in the face of powerful companies.
• Zhao Mingyuan, the President of Chengshi Group, is portrayed as cunning and ruthless, willing to spend vast resources to control Gao Linzhi.
• Wang Hao, the Chief Technology Officer, demonstrates his technical prowess by integrating advanced technology into the Jade Treasure.
• Chen Lina, the Marketing Director, shows her manipulative skills by creating fake news to lure Gao Linzhi.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics between the Federation and major corporations.
• The struggle for control and manipulation within the game world and offline world.
• The value and obsession with Longevity and powerful Talents.

Character Interactions

• Shi Tiansheng interacts with a high-level secretary, discussing the Federation's limitations.
• Zhao Mingyuan, Wang Hao, and Chen Lina collaborate to plot against Gao Linzhi.
• Gao Linzhi and Corpse Vine interact as the pet alerts its master about the treasure.

Summary

Key plot points and events

• Gao Linzhi receives information from the Corpse Vine about a treasure capable of extending a soul’s lifespan. He recognizes its exceptional value because supernatural energy can preserve the body relatively easily, but it corrodes and ages the soul.
• He reflects on the three stages of immortality taught by the Daoist Academy: Body Transforms into Stone, Heart Transforms into Stone, and Spirit Transforms into Stone. Since he has reached the second stage, the treasure could be especially useful to him.
• To verify the information, Gao Linzhi asks Dragon Fruit to divine its authenticity. He pays her with nine Revival Stones, and she draws the Hanged Man card. Her interpretation confirms that the treasure is real and soul-related, but warns that obtaining it requires a severe sacrifice—possibly Gao’s life—and that he must personally come into contact with it.
• Gao decides to pursue the treasure despite recognizing the obvious trap. Rather than risk his true body, he sends his game character, Can Xue Waves Across the Map, to investigate.
• The Daoist Academy’s headmaster separately confirms through divination that the treasure is genuine. He explains that soul longevity is far more difficult than bodily longevity because Mysterious Energy preserves flesh while gradually corroding the soul.
• The headmaster’s envy of the untouched, materialistic real world inspires Gao to imagine a long-term plan: use supernatural power to solve technological problems, use technology to achieve immortality, and eventually eliminate supernatural power itself.
• The treasure’s location is revealed on the Game Forum: Myriad Flower Island, Zone 2066. Gao hires elite players, travels there, and learns that the island contains four villages dedicated to cultivating flowers used in fragrances that repair mental damage and strengthen the soul.
• Gao encounters a group of muscular Shield Guard players who have come for the same treasure, tempted by a corporate bounty offering permanent Safe Zone land. Gao and their leader agree to cooperate temporarily, recognizing that the treasure may be real but is clearly bait for an unknown trap.
• As more player groups arrive, the competition intensifies. Eventually, even the imperial court appears in an imperial flying vessel, apparently from the Imperial Observatory, demonstrating the treasure’s immense importance.
• Gao remains convinced that the treasure is genuine based on both Dragon Fruit’s divination and his own intuition—and that the hidden forces behind the scheme have deliberately chosen bait powerful enough to attract him.

Character developments

• Gao Linzhi demonstrates greater caution and strategic maturity. He understands that the treasure is designed specifically to exploit his pursuit of immortality and his coveted Pay-to-Win Talent, yet he chooses to investigate while protecting his true body.
• His understanding of immortality deepens. He realizes that overcoming physical aging is comparatively simple, while preserving the mind and soul is the true obstacle.
• Gao begins developing a broader philosophical and technological vision: supernatural power may be useful as a tool, but a future based on technology rather than supernatural energy could offer a purer form of immortality.
• Dragon Fruit displays strong divination ability and provides a remarkably accurate warning about the treasure’s reality, its soul-related nature, and the deadly sacrifice involved.
• The Daoist Academy headmaster reveals both his expertise regarding soul corrosion and his envy of the real world’s non-supernatural foundation. His remarks significantly influence Gao’s thinking.
• The visiting Shield Guard leader is portrayed as cautious rather than reckless. Although interested in the reward, he recognizes the likelihood of a trap and agrees to cooperate instead of immediately competing.

Significant themes

• The difficulty of true immortality: Preserving the body is relatively easy, but the aging and corrosion of the soul remain the central barriers.
• Bait, traps, and manipulation: The treasure is likely being used to lure Gao and other powerful figures into a carefully designed scheme. The masterminds understand Gao’s priorities and have selected an irresistible reward.
• Risk versus ambition: Gao knows the treasure may demand his life, but his pursuit of immortality compels him to take the risk—while still using strategic safeguards.
• Science and supernatural power: The chapter contrasts a supernatural world, where energy can preserve bodies but damages souls, with the real world’s materialistic foundation. Gao begins imagining a synthesis in which supernatural abilities accelerate technology before technology ultimately replaces supernatural dependence.
• Competition and cooperation: Although the treasure attracts numerous factions, including players, corporations, and the imperial court, temporary cooperation becomes necessary because no one yet knows where the trap lies.
• The limits of certainty: Divination can reveal broad truths, but it cannot eliminate danger. Gao learns that knowing a trap exists does not necessarily make it avoidable when the reward is valuable enough.

Character interactions

• Gao consults Dragon Fruit, offering her Revival Stones in exchange for divination. Their exchange establishes her skill and Gao’s willingness to pay heavily for reliable information.
• Gao speaks with the Daoist Academy headmaster, who confirms the treasure’s authenticity and explains the nature of soul aging. Their conversation also leads Gao to reconsider the advantages of the real world.
• Gao negotiates with the leader of the Shield Guard group. Instead of fighting prematurely, they agree that confirming the treasure’s existence and locating the trap should come first.
• The arrival of additional players and the imperial court transforms the search from a private investigation into a large-scale contest, increasing the pressure and suggesting that conflict over the treasure is imminent.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Imperial Court's convoy arrives, led by Old Daoist Tiansheng.
• Tiansheng uses an Aging Curse on players, causing them to age rapidly and making revival ineffective.
• Players realize they must give gifts to Tiansheng to lift the curse.
• Tiansheng orders players to drive out villagers from four nearby villages.
• Villagers reveal they are avatars of a Flower Anomaly, unafraid of death, and capable of transforming players into villagers.

Character Developments

• Players: Realize their revival advantage is negated, become more cautious and cooperative.
• Old Daoist Tiansheng: Shows immense power and cunning, using players as pawns.
• Gao Linzhi: Remains unaffected by the curse, uses appraisal skill to reveal villagers' true nature.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics between players and NPCs.
• The consequences of underestimating opponents.
• The importance of adaptability and understanding cultural nuances.

Character Interactions

• Players: Initially arrogant, they become cooperative and fearful after facing Tiansheng's power.
• Tiansheng: Uses players for labor and information gathering, then flees when villagers' true nature is revealed.
• Gao Linzhi: Observes and analyzes the situation, uses his appraisal skill to gain crucial information.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Players scatter after encountering villagers; only a few are caught.
• Trapped players call for help in the game's activity channel.
• Gao Linzhi, a top-ranked player, refuses to help.
• Players start arguing and blaming each other, igniting faction conflicts.

Character Developments

• Gao Linzhi shows indifference to the trapped players, prioritizing his own safety.
• Trapped players show desperation and helplessness.
• Rogue Players express resentment towards Corporate Players.

Significant Themes

• Risk and Responsibility: Players must bear the risks of their actions, and there's no guarantee of help from others.
• Faction Conflicts: Tensions between Rogue Players and Corporate Players escalate due to past grudges and current needs.
• Repentance and Resentment: Characters grapple with whether to let go of past grudges or hold onto them.

Character Interactions

• Trapped players plead for help, but Gao Linzhi refuses.
• Rogue Players and Corporate Players argue and blame each other.
• Players discuss the possibility of forming a Rogue Island to protect their interests.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gao Linzhi witnesses the Imperial Court instigating a conflict between Rogue Players and Company Executive Players.
• A temporary treasure grab event is triggered, preventing the final treasure carrier from leaving the island for 3 days.
• Gao Linzhi obtains the ultimate treasure, the Jade of Verdant Soul Nourishment, causing a stir among other players.

Character Developments

• Gao Linzhi maintains his calm and strategic thinking, even in the face of provocation and temptation.
• The Imperial Court shows their expertise in manipulation and scheming, though their low efficiency and internal friction are also revealed.

Significant Themes

• Greed and temptation: Gao Linzhi resists the immediate use of the treasure, showing self-control and awareness of potential traps.
• Manipulation and conflict: The Imperial Court stirs up discord between different player factions, highlighting the theme of manipulation and its consequences.
• Intelligence and adaptability: The Rose Corpse Tree Anomaly demonstrates high intelligence and adaptability, showcasing the potential for growth and danger in Anomalies.

Character Interactions

• Gao Linzhi interacts with the Rose Corpse Tree Anomaly, successfully obtaining the treasure without triggering its rules or defenses.
• The Imperial Court interacts with both Rogue Players and Company Executive Players, instigating conflict and sowing discord.
• Other players interact with Gao Linzhi through the activity channel, expressing their desire to obtain the treasure and offering various deals.

Chapter Summary: “New Rules for Treasure Hunting, the Crushing Defeat of Old Server Players”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gao Linzhi becomes the target of every treasure hunter after a giant treasure-chest icon appears above his head, revealing that he possesses the rare treasure. Even concealment techniques cannot hide it.
• He retreats to a high seaside cliff, using the ocean and dangerous aberrations as natural protection against ambushes. While waiting, he continues cultivating the Petrification Technique.
• Five powerful players from long-established servers—GodMengde, GodSima Yi, GodJia Xu, GodGou Huo, and God*Xu Zhu—arrive to seize the treasure. They surround Gao and arrogantly demand that he surrender it.
• Rather than attacking immediately, the veterans threaten to attract nearby villagers and use their prepared talismans, defensive arrays, and Revival Stones to give themselves an advantage.
• Gao Linzhi tests their strength, then overwhelms them with extraordinary speed and power. His attributes have exceeded 2,000 in both major categories, placing him far beyond the five players, who each possess only slightly more than 500.
• The five veterans are unable to dodge, counterattack, or properly target him. Their defensive talismans, artifacts, and arrays are gradually destroyed as Gao repeatedly strikes them.
• Other players arrive and livestream the battle, discussing strategies such as damage reflection, area attacks, curses, and locking skills. None work because Gao’s speed, defense, and mental resistance are overwhelmingly high.
• The five veterans offer a valuable Safe Zone as a bounty to anyone who can stop Gao, prompting other players to interfere. However, no one can successfully target or restrain him.
• After the five exhaust their defensive resources, Gao uses the Petrification Technique to turn them into stone statues instead of killing them.
• He then stores the statues in his Game Backpack, effectively imprisoning the five players and preventing them from using Revival Stones or force-quitting the game. The chapter ends with the veterans protesting that the game system has been exploited.

Character Developments

• Gao Linzhi demonstrates a dramatic increase in strength. His cultivation of the Petrification Technique has transformed his attributes and made him vastly superior to even experienced old-server players.
• He becomes more confident and controlled in battle, deliberately prolonging the fight to assess the veterans’ abilities instead of defeating them instantly.
• Gao also reveals tactical creativity. Rather than simply killing his enemies, he uses petrification and the Game Backpack to neutralize their escape options.
• The five old-server players are introduced as arrogant veterans who believe their experience, equipment, and strategic knowledge make them superior to new-server players. Their confidence collapses once they realize Gao’s power is far beyond their expectations.
• Their behavior shifts from mockery and threats to desperate bargaining, threats against Gao’s businesses, bounty offers, and finally demands that he kill them to end their humiliation.
• The observing players move from curiosity and shock to opportunism, attempting to profit from the situation without caring about loyalty or fairness.

Significant Themes

• Money and power versus experience: The old-server players rely on years of gameplay, knowledge, and equipment, but Gao’s massive financial investment gives him a decisive advantage.
• The limits of conventional strategy: Defensive formations, talismans, curses, and coordinated attacks are useless when the gap in attributes is too large.
• Humiliation and changing hierarchies: Veteran status no longer guarantees dominance. Gao overturns the old-server players’ assumption that newcomers are inferior.
• Exploitation of systems and rules: Gao’s use of the Game Backpack as a prison shows how powerful players can find loopholes in game mechanics.
• Pragmatism and opportunism: The surrounding players are motivated mainly by rewards and personal gain, quickly abandoning principles when a valuable treasure is involved.
• Petrification as preservation: Gao’s cultivation reflects the idea of suspending life and crossing time, while in combat it becomes a practical method of immobilization and control.

Character Interactions

• The five veterans mock Gao as an inexperienced “new-server monkey” and demand the treasure, while Gao responds calmly and challenges them to take it.
• God*Xu Zhu attempts to intimidate Gao by threatening to summon villagers, but Gao dismisses the tactic and attacks.
• During the fight, the veterans repeatedly plead, threaten Gao’s offline businesses, and warn him of retaliation from powerful allies. Gao ignores all of them.
• Other players comment on the battle, debate possible counters, and attempt to attack Gao for the bounty, but their efforts fail.
• Once petrified and stored in Gao’s Game Backpack, the five veterans can still communicate through the event channel. They accuse the game of containing a bug and demand release, while spectators praise Gao for discovering an unprecedented exploit.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gao Linzhi exploits a bug to turn players into resources and store them in his Game Backpack.
• Players demand to Force Quit but are unable to, causing uproar in the activity channel.
• Gao Linzhi refuses to release the trapped players, planning to keep them locked up indefinitely.
• The Imperial Court and Zhao's Group discuss Gao Linzhi's threat and the value of the Jade Treasure.
• Zhao Mingyuan's father confronts him about using the Jade Treasure as bait, leading to a heated argument.

Character Developments

• Gao Linzhi displays his power and ruthlessness by refusing to release the trapped players, showing he's not afraid of interference from the Game's officials.
• Players in the activity channel show fear and resentment towards Gao Linzhi's actions.
• Zhao Mingyuan and his father clash over the use of the Jade Treasure, revealing Zhao Mingyuan's oversight in considering his father's needs.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics: Gao Linzhi's strength and ruthlessness instill fear in other players, while Zhao Mingyuan's actions highlight the power struggle within Zhao's Group.
• Greed and its consequences: Zhao Mingyuan's desire to capture Gao Linzhi's Pay-to-Win Talent leads him to overlook the value of the Jade Treasure and the potential risks involved.
• Family dynamics: The conflict between Zhao Mingyuan and his father reveals the tension and expectations within their relationship, with Zhao Mingyuan's actions causing his father to feel unappreciated.

Character Interactions

• Gao Linzhi interacts with the trapped players through the activity channel, showing no mercy or willingness to negotiate.
• Players in the activity channel interact with each other, expressing their fears, resentments, and strategies to deal with Gao Linzhi.
• Zhao Mingyuan and his father have a heated argument, revealing their differing priorities and causing a rift in their relationship.
• Zhao's Group executives discuss the situation and the value of the Jade Treasure, highlighting their concerns and the potential risks involved in their plan to capture Gao Linzhi.

Key Plot Points and Events

• A valuable Jade Treasure sparks a treasure hunt event, attracting players from old servers and the Imperial Court.
• Gao Linzhi, using his high Spirit attribute, easily defeats hundreds of puppets controlled by other players.
• He successfully obtains the Jade Treasure, increasing his reputation in various factions.
• The Zhao Corporation, who offered the treasure, is upset that Gao Linzhi didn't use it himself but sent it for research.
• Three rogue players from Server 2000 arrive at Wolf Snake Island 3081, grateful to Gao Linzhi for saving their lives.

Character Developments

• Gao Linzhi demonstrates his strength and strategic thinking, defeating numerous opponents with ease.
• The three rogue players show gratitude and loyalty to Gao Linzhi for saving their lives.
• Zhao Mingyuan and the Zhao Corporation show their desperation and impatience in dealing with Gao Linzhi.

Significant Themes

• The value of patience and long-term planning (Gao Linzhi's approach vs. Zhao Corporation's impatience).
• The power of individual strength and adaptability (Gao Linzhi's high Spirit attribute and diverse Skills).
• The importance of gratitude and loyalty (the three rogue players' actions).

Character Interactions

• Gao Linzhi interacts with the three rogue players, showing kindness and understanding.
• The Zhao Corporation interacts with each other, showing frustration and anger at their failed plans.
• Players from old servers and the Imperial Court interact with Gao Linzhi, showing jealousy and envy at his success.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gao Linzhi meets with representatives from the Imperial Court who offer him protection and enfeoffment as the guardian of an island in exchange for tribute every ten years.
• The Imperial Court representatives suggest that the Imperial Court is the most reliable external support for Gao Linzhi.
• A new temporary mini-event, "The Imperial Court's Overture," is announced with 99 levels, offering attribute point rewards based on the number of levels cleared.
• Gao Linzhi forms a team with the Imperial Court representatives to challenge the first two levels of the event: "Number Maze" and "Extreme Drop."

Character Developments

• Gao Linzhi remains cautious and calculating, not easily swayed by the Imperial Court's offers.
• The Imperial Court representatives are eager to recruit Gao Linzhi, showcasing their strength and reliability.

Significant Themes

• The theme of external support and alliances is emphasized, with the Imperial Court positioning itself as the most reliable force.
• The temporary mini-event highlights the competitive and challenging nature of the game world.

Character Interactions

• Gao Linzhi interacts with the Imperial Court representatives, negotiating and considering their offers.
• The Imperial Court representatives collaborate with Gao Linzhi to challenge the event levels, demonstrating their teamwork and coordination.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gao Linzhi clears 75 levels in the 99-level challenge event, while the highest ranked player from an older server has cleared 88 levels.
• The 76th level is a Wisdom level, involving a game of Go with personal combat elements.
• Li Gun from District 219, with a unique Talent to force transactions with Natives using gold, clears level 88 and shares strategies for the first 50 stages but keeps later stages confidential due to contractual obligations.

Character Developments

• Gao Linzhi: Struggles to clear higher levels due to the limitations of his Pay-to-Win ability, which can't buy help from many advanced Natives.
• Li Gun: Proves to be shrewd and business-savvy, monetizing his Talent by hiring out advanced NPCs to other players.

Significant Themes

• Talent and Power: Different Talents bring unique advantages, with Li Gun's Talent being particularly overpowered in its own way.
• Old vs. New Servers: The gap in strength and knowledge between older and newer servers is highlighted, with older servers having an advantage due to their head start in the game.

Character Interactions

• Gao Linzhi and Li Gun: Engage in a private chat, with Gao Linzhi hiring Li Gun's NPCs for 500 Revival Stones each to help clear levels up to 88.
• Li Gun and other players: Li Gun shares strategies for the first 50 stages and provides contact information for hiring NPCs, generating interest and demand from other players.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gao Linzhi meets Li Gun's two Level 120 experts (Miaosheng Daoren and Wuyu Monk) for the exchange.
• Gao Linzhi enters Stage 89, where he must kill a level 100 NPC Native to complete the challenge.
• He learns about the Vampire Demon, a level 100 evil NPC, and decides to target it.
• Gao Linzhi observes the Vampire Demon and realizes its strength is beyond his current capabilities.
• He enlists the help of the Rebel Army Faction's Headmaster to cripple and seal the Vampire Demon.

Character Developments

• Gao Linzhi demonstrates strategic thinking and patience in planning to take down the powerful Vampire Demon.
• Li Gun's Talent is revealed to be exceptional, as he can hire advanced NPCs like Miaosheng Daoren and Wuyu Monk.
• The Headmaster shows his power and willingness to assist Gao Linzhi for the right price.

Significant Themes

• The power dynamics between players and NPCs, and the Game's influence on their interactions.
• The moral ambiguity of hunting and killing powerful NPCs for rewards.
• The importance of strategic planning and alliances in overcoming powerful opponents.

Character Interactions

• Gao Linzhi interacts with Li Gun, learning about the challenges of completing later stages and the potential backlash from killing high-level NPCs.
• Gao Linzhi communicates with the Headmaster, arranging for his assistance in taking down the Vampire Demon in exchange for Revival Stones.
• Gao Linzhi observes the Vampire Demon, witnessing its cruelty and lack of caution, which provides him with an opportunity to strike.

Key Plot Points and Events

• A vampire is taken by the Headmaster, demonstrating the tolerance limit of the supernatural society's ecosystem.
• Gao Linzhi completes the 99-level challenge, earning 600 free attribute points.
• The Imperial Court begins tax collection, exploiting and oppressing the villagers.
• Gao Linzhi triggers a chain quest, "Prevent Imperial Court Levy," with a reward of one free attribute point per successful prevention, capped at 500 points.

Character Developments

• Gao Linzhi gains a deeper understanding of the supernatural society's ecosystem and decides to help the villagers against the Imperial Court.
• The Imperial Court soldiers are shown to be brutal and unreasonable, further solidifying their villainous role.

Significant Themes

• The exploitation and oppression of the common people by those in power.
• The ruthlessness of the Imperial Court and the company executives.
• The contrast between the Imperial Court's public image and their actual actions.

Character Interactions

• Gao Linzhi interacts with Li Gun, discussing the situation on other islands and the Imperial Court's actions.
• Players in the activity channel plead for help from Gao Linzhi and other Big Shots.
• Gao Linzhi calls Boring to start a new business, helping to drive away the Imperial Court's tax fleet.

Plot Points and Events

• Bandits (Imperial Court officials) are exploiting villagers, and players are helpless due to game settings.
• Gao Linzhi (Can Xue), a powerful player, decides to intervene and complete a chain quest to stop the Imperial Court's collection.
• He efficiently eliminates Imperial Court tax collectors on multiple islands, earning free attribute points for each completed quest stage.
• The Imperial Court, particularly the Fourth Prince, becomes aware of Gao Linzhi's actions and seeks to negotiate with him.

Character Developments

• Gao Linzhi demonstrates his power and resolve in dealing with the Imperial Court, showcasing his willingness to help villagers despite personal risks.
• The Fourth Prince reveals his pragmatic nature, willing to cooperate with players for the sake of efficient taxation, despite his initial disdain for them.

Significant Themes

• The power dynamics between players and the Imperial Court, with players holding the advantage due to their ability to switch locations instantly.
• The exploitation of common people (villagers) by those in power (Imperial Court officials), and the players' initial reluctance to intervene due to game settings.
• The potential for cooperation between players and the Imperial Court, despite their initial mistrust and disdain for each other.

Character Interactions

• Gao Linzhi interacts with the villagers, helping them without directly engaging with them, and with the Imperial Court, negotiating and threatening them.
• The Fourth Prince interacts with his advisors (players), seeking their counsel on how to handle Gao Linzhi and the player situation.
• Players discuss and react to Gao Linzhi's actions in the activity channel, expressing awe, fear, and curiosity about his power and intentions.

• The Fourth Prince, desperate to suppress the rebellion, receives the Emperor's approval to proceed, sparking his ambition for rebellion.
• Meanwhile, the Game System introduces a temporary event, "The Sanction List," allowing players to livestream punishment events against the Imperial Court's conscription team, with rewards based on audience emotional energy.
• A popular streamer begins broadcasting, showing the Imperial Court's brutal taxation methods, enraging the audience who demand harsh punishments for the bailiffs.
• The streamer asks the audience how to deal with the bailiffs, with suggestions ranging from execution to forced labor at sea.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Players, led by the streamer, capture and humiliate bailiffs from the Imperial Court.
• The streamer's actions attract a large audience, earning him high scores on the Punishment Activity leaderboard.
• The Imperial Court dispatches a fleet to suppress the rebellion on Blackwater Island, led by Vice Minister Zheng Yuanheng.
• Lin Cangming, a player on the island, prepares to face the Imperial Court's onslaught to protect the island's inhabitants.

Character Developments

• The streamer demonstrates his combat prowess and ruthlessness, earning him popularity among viewers.
• Lin Cangming shows leadership and concern for the island's inhabitants, choosing to stay and fight against the Imperial Court.
• Zheng Yuanheng is portrayed as ruthless and determined to suppress the rebellion, following the Imperial Court's orders.

Significant Themes

• The struggle between the players/rebels and the Imperial Court, representing the conflict between the game's players and the game's authority.
• The manipulation of emotions by the streamer to gain points, highlighting the game's focus on viewer engagement and spectacle.
• The consequences of rebellion and the harsh response from the Imperial Court, illustrating the game's high stakes and potential dangers.

Character Interactions

• The streamer interacts with his viewers, responding to their cheers and taunts, and engaging in a form of audience participation.
• Lin Cangming interacts with his student, showing concern for his safety and giving him a jade pendant as a keepsake.
• Zheng Yuanheng interacts with Naval Commander Zhou Xian and Supervising Secretary Xu Shen, displaying his authority and disregard for the lives of the island's inhabitants.

In this chapter, Lin Cangming, a rogue player, finds himself under siege by the Imperial Court's forces, led by Right Vice Metropolitan Zheng. The villagers, who have taken a liking to Lin Cangming, are being used as cannon fodder. Lin Cangming, despite knowing the futility of resistance, decides to fight alongside the villagers to buy time for their families to escape. The Imperial Court's forces, equipped with modern weapons like arquebuses and cannons, overwhelm the villagers. Lin Cangming is eventually captured, and the island is set ablaze. Meanwhile, players, who have been live-streaming the events, are using the emotional buildup to gain viewer sympathy and climb the rankings. Gao Linzhi, watching the streams, decides to intervene, starting his own live-stream to bring justice to the villagers.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Cangming and captured villagers are threatened by Zheng Yuanheng, the Right Deputy Censor-in-Chief.
• Gao Linzhi, a powerful martial artist, arrives to save Lin Cangming, demonstrating extraordinary abilities.
• Gao Linzhi confronts Zheng Yuanheng and the Imperial Court army, defeating them with ease.
• He uses his powers to destroy the Imperial Court's warships and navy personnel.

Character Developments

• Lin Cangming: Shows bravery and loyalty by refusing to betray his fellow villagers, even under threat of death.
• Zheng Yuanheng: Reveals his cowardice and desperation when faced with Gao Linzhi's power.
• Gao Linzhi: Demonstrates his immense power, skill, and confidence. He is calm, collected, and shows no mercy to his enemies.

Significant Themes

• Power and Corruption: The Imperial Court, despite its power, is shown to be corrupt and oppressive.
• Loyalty and Bravery: Lin Cangming's loyalty to his fellow villagers and Gao Linzhi's bravery in facing the Imperial Court are highlighted.
• The Power of One: Gao Linzhi's single-handedly defeating the Imperial Court's army and navy emphasizes the power of a single individual.

Character Interactions

• Lin Cangming and Zheng Yuanheng: Lin Cangming's defiance and Zheng Yuanheng's threats highlight the conflict between the villagers and the Imperial Court.
• Gao Linzhi and Zheng Yuanheng: Gao Linzhi's arrival and subsequent defeat of Zheng Yuanheng and the Imperial Court army showcase his power and the Imperial Court's weakness.
• Gao Linzhi and Lin Cangming: Gao Linzhi's arrival to save Lin Cangming, and their subsequent interaction, highlights their bond and Gao Linzhi's respect for Lin Cangming's actions.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The white-clothed man (Gao Linzhi) single-handedly sinks twelve of the Imperial Court's forty-eight warships, demonstrating his immense power.
• The remaining ships retreat, and the white-clothed man decides to stay on the island for three years to teach local disciples for self-defense.
• Ten days later, the Imperial Observatory intervenes, using a powerful 'Starfall Technique' that creates a bottomless hole on the island and kills three disciples.

Character Developments

• Gao Linzhi (White-clothed man): Shows his immense power and decides to stay on the island to teach locals for self-defense. He's confident and flashy but also strategic, understanding the importance of leaving a legacy.
• Lin Cangming: Worried about the Imperial Observatory's intervention, he tries to convince Gao Linzhi to retreat but is unsuccessful. He's cautious and wise, understanding the Imperial Court's power dynamics.
• Shen Qing: A young man who pushes Lin Cangming's wheelchair. He's naive and unaware of the Imperial Observatory's power, representing the common people's lack of knowledge about the Imperial Court's true strength.

Significant Themes

• Power Dynamics: The struggle for power between the Imperial Court, the Imperial Observatory, and the players is a central theme. Each faction has its own interests and agendas, leading to complex interactions.
• Knowledge and Ignorance: The common people's lack of knowledge about the Imperial Court's true power is contrasted with the white-clothed man's understanding of it. This theme highlights the information gap between the powerful and the common people.
• Legacy and Responsibility: Gao Linzhi's decision to stay on the island and teach locals for self-defense shows his understanding of the importance of leaving a legacy and taking responsibility for his actions.

Character Interactions

• Gao Linzhi and Lin Cangming: Lin Cangming tries to convince Gao Linzhi to retreat, but Gao Linzhi is confident in his decision to stay and teach locals. Their interaction highlights their differing views on the situation and their personalities.
• Gao Linzhi and the Imperial Observatory: Gao Linzhi challenges the Imperial Observatory, showing his confidence and defiance in the face of their power. Their interaction sets the stage for a potential conflict.
• Lin Cangming and Shen Qing: Their interaction highlights the information gap between the common people and the powerful. Lin Cangming's warnings to Shen Qing about the Imperial Observatory show his concern for the common people's safety.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Imperial Observatory's Old Daoist, Zhang Shouyi, invokes the 'Big Dipper Exorcism Array' to punish the islanders.
• Gao Linzhi's character, the man in white, uses a temporary enhancement item, the 'Sword of Injustice', to alter the stars' trajectories, saving the islanders.
• The Imperial Observatory captures the man in white and plans to refine the islanders' souls to create a Longevity pill for the Emperor.
• The man in white breaks free, self-destructs his Dantian, and unleashes a powerful sword energy that destroys the Imperial Observatory's forces and formations, including Zhang Shouyi.

Character Developments

• Gao Linzhi (man in white): Demonstrates exceptional swordsmanship and determination, willing to self-destruct to defeat the Imperial Observatory.
• Zhang Shouyi (Old Daoist): Reveals the Imperial Observatory's true power and cruelty, ultimately defeated by the man in white.

Significant Themes

• Injustice and resistance: The islanders face injustice from the Imperial Observatory, and the man in white fights against this oppression.
• Power dynamics: The Imperial Observatory's power is challenged by the man in white, highlighting the imbalance of power between the common people and the ruling class.
• The consequences of rebellion: The islanders face severe punishment for their rebellion, emphasizing the risks of standing against the government.

Character Interactions

• Gao Linzhi (man in white) vs. Zhang Shouyi (Old Daoist): A battle of wills and power, with the man in white ultimately defeating the Old Daoist.
• Lin Cangming vs. Star Warrior: Lin Cangming attempts to protect the islanders but is injured and captured by a Star Warrior.
• The man in white vs. the Imperial Observatory: The man in white's actions challenge the Imperial Observatory's authority and power, leading to his capture and the islanders' punishment.